1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to motor vehicle shelters and more particularly to extendible and retractable shelters.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Apartment and condominium complexes commonly provide paved uncovered parking facilities for residents. Thus, automobiles and the like must be left exposed to the elements. Due to the narrow spaces allocated for each vehicle, it is not practical to provide fixed shelters since the vehicle doors could not be opened in the shelter. A shelter which can be extended after the vehicle is parked and retracted when the vehicle is to be used will solve the problem without requiring additional parking area.
One attempt to provide such a shelter is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,682 to Ryce. An extendible and retractable shelter is shown having arched ribs attached to ground-contacting skids, and a flexible cover. A winch causes the ribs to slide along the ground to extend the shelter and to retract the shelter into an enclosure. Using the shelter requires considerable time and effort to extend and retract. Further, anchoring during winds is dependent only on the weight of the extended structure. A portable garage is taught by Teeter in U.S. Pat. No. 2,817,344 utilizing an extensive cable system for opening and closing. A retractable cover for truck bodies is shown in Fowler, U.S. Pat. No. 2,469,958.
None of these prior art references are entirely suitable for the above discussed requirement.